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Spelling Bee-style
This Spelling Bee-style game follows the format The New York Times launched online in 2018. Seven letters sit in a honeycomb with one required center letter, and you make as many words as possible. Unlike a tray game, letters can repeat freely, and finding the pangram that uses all seven is the prized goal.
Spelling Bee-style Rules
Seven distinct letters are arranged in a hexagon, with one letter highlighted in the center. You build words at least four letters long, and every word must include that center letter.
Letters may be reused as many times as you like within a single word — there are no tiles to consume — but only the seven given letters are allowed. Each accepted word adds to your score, with longer words worth more.
At least one pangram exists each round: a word that uses all seven letters at least once. Finding it earns a big bonus, and accumulating points moves you up rank tiers from Beginner toward Genius.
Spelling Bee-style Strategy & Tips
Build word families around the center
Since the center letter is mandatory, find one valid root and morph it — add prefixes, swap endings, pluralize. Many words cluster around a single strong stem.
Test every letter as a word starter
Systematically begin words with each of the seven letters in turn. This methodical sweep surfaces options your eye skips when scanning randomly.
Hunt the pangram early
Look for a way to use all seven letters at once — common suffixes like -ING or -ABLE often bridge the leftover letters into one long pangram word.
Remember letters repeat
Unlike Boggle, you can use a letter multiple times. Double letters (like the two T's in BATTLE) and tripled vowels are fully legal here, so don't rule them out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum word length in Spelling Bee?
Four letters. Three-letter words and shorter don't count, and every word must contain the required center letter.
Can letters be used more than once?
Yes. Unlike tile-based games, you may reuse any of the seven letters as often as you want within a single word.
What is a pangram?
A word that uses all seven of the puzzle's letters at least once. Each Spelling Bee round has at least one, and finding it gives a large point bonus.
Why isn't my real word being accepted?
Spelling Bee dictionaries exclude proper nouns, hyphenated words, and many obscure or offensive terms. The word may be valid English but outside the puzzle's curated list.